Surface coating apparatus



Jan. 25,1944. c. SCHLEICHER SURFACE COATING APPARATUS 7 Filed March"12,' 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. CARL SCHLEICHER' BY 1 s l W, Y 3 M TTORNES.

1944- c. SCHLEICHER SURFACE COATING APPARATUS Filed March 12, 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet 3,

9%, v it a M INVENmR. CARL SLHLEICHER Fm BY WNW";

Jan. 25, 1944. c. SCHLEICHER SURFACE COATING APPARATUS Filed March 12, 1941 a Sheets-Sheet 4 W RR S m M N N EC R Z W L am A s M. L R M Car Jan. 25, 1944. c. SCHLEICHER SURFACE COATING APPARATUS Filed March 12, 1941 s sneaks-sheet s mmvm. BYCARL SCHLEICHER 4- i c. SCHLEICHER SURFACE COATING APPARATUS Filed March 12, 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 @x wk NEW INVENTOR.- CARL SCHLEIC HER BY Patented Jan. 25, i9

I 2,339,952 SURFACE COATWG APPA'EUS Carl Schleicher, New York, N. Y.. asslgnor to Threefold @orporaticn, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 12, 1941, Serial No. 382,906

10 Clas.

ment for the thickness of the coat.

The strips of Venetian blinds frequently carry dust from forming operations or storage, and the strips of old blinds which require repainting in renovating operations are also usually covered with dust so that they need to be thoroughly cleaned before they are painted. According to the present invention the cleaning of the strips, 1 which formerly was a separate operation, is done by the same machine which paints the strips, and the cleaning is done immediately before they are painted. The cleaning, means ismounted for adjustment along with the coating and feeding means, hence this also automatically adapts its action for strips of different thickness in accord-- ance with the adaptation of the coating means.

The machine provides initial feeding means for taking the strips from a supply and additional feeding means immediately ahead of the coating means for presenting the strips directly to the coating means. The cleaning means is disposed between the two feeding means and is partitioned from the coating means so it will not spread dust thereto. The two feeding means, disposed as they are, support the strip fully in a definite position between the upper and lower coating elements and guide it accurately between the side coating elements.

The invention provides improved means for adjusting the upper part of the machine vertically relative to the lower part of the machine and of the coating material supply or applicator means relative to the coating means for path faces and improved mounting and adjusting means for the edge coating means. In addition the inventon provides improved intermittently operating feeding means for starting strips into the machine.

In order to furnish a more precise understand= ing of the nature and objects of the invention, one specific embodiment will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings where- (Cl. ill-13) Fig. i is a left side elevation; Fig. 2 is a companion right side elevation; Fig.3 is a front elevation;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation at the rear end, taken on the line i-d of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a sectional plan taken on the line 5-4. of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a central vertical section taken on the line fi6 of Fig. 5;

taken on the line 'i-'l of. Fig. 1 in front of the edge coating mechanism.

I Fig. 8 is a horizontal section taken on the line r of Fig. 7;

- Fig. 9 is an elevation of the left side of Fig. 7;

Fig. 10 is a vertical section on the line Ill-Ill of Fig. 7

Fig. 11 is an enlarged plan of a portion of 5, showing the feed-in mechanism;

Fig. 12 is a central vertical section on the line 82-42 of Fig. 11; and

Figs; 13 and 14 are tails. v

The machine selected to illustrate the invention and shown in the drawings comprises a main frame provided with a long table 2! at the Fig.

views of adjustment derear adapted to support a stack of strips S, such as slats, rails or the like. From this stack the bottom strip is fed into the'coating mechanism by the feed-in mechanism 22 which is operated intermittently by the operator through a treadle 28 or by some automatically controlled operating mechanism. The strip passes to a first or rear set of feed rolls 2%, then between a pair of cleaning rolls or rotary brushes 25, to a second or front set of feed rolls 2%, to edge coating rolls Z'i, and finally through a set of face coating rolls 28. When the strip emerges coated on-both faces and both edges, or such of these surfaces as may be desired, it is taken by an operator and placed on a drying rack.

The lower ones of the rear pair of feed rolls the cleaning rolls 25, the front feed rolls 26, and the face coating rolls '28 are all mounted on a fixed frame 3d and the companion rolls of these are mounted upon an adjustable frame 3|. Below the fixed frame 30 an adjustable sub-frame 32 is provided to carry a supply or applicator roll for furnishing coating material to the lower coating roll 28. Above the adjustable frame an adjustable super frame 34 is provided to carry a supply or applicator roll 35 for furnishing coating material to the upper coating roll 28.

Conveniently, the frames 39, 3t, 32 and 3d are all mounted upon a plurality of vertical rods 36-:

Fig. .7 is a partial transverse sectional elevation four shown-secured in the main frame 20, the frame 30 being fixed'in position on the rods-as by set screws or the like, and the frames 3|, 32 and 34 being slidable on the rods as guides. The frames 30 and 3| are mounted on all four rods and the smaller frames 32 and 34 are mounted on the two front rods.

' frame. The eccentric at the front end is turned through a gear 41 fast thereon by a pinion 45 meshing with the gear 41, the pinion being fast on the knob shaft 46, which is mounted in the plate 40, and turned by ahand knob 44 thereon. The eccentrics and the gear 41 are locked in adjusted position by a nut 48 on the shaft 43.

The sub-frame 32 is provided with similar adjusting mechanism, though the throw is less than for the frame 3|, whereas the latter provides a large adjustment for wide differences in strip thicknesses, the former need only provide for different thicknesses of coating material supplied to the coating rolls. Here the eccentricmounting plate 50 is pivoted to the fixed frame 30 at a suitable point, which here coincides with the pivot point 4|, and carries the eccentric 52 in a circular opening at its free end. The eccentric is eccentrically secured to a gear 51 and with it is rotatable on a shaft 53 rigidly secured in the frame 32 as by being threaded therein and held by a lock nut 58. Adjustment is made by a pinion 55 on a shaft 56 mounted in the frame 32 and turned by the hand knob 54. The

gear 51 after adjustment is locked against the .plate 50 to prevent turning by a nut 59 on the shaft 53.

The movable super frame 34 is similarly adju'sted except that instead of being adjusted relative to a fixed part it is adjusted relative to the movable frame 3| since the coating supply roll 35 serves the adjustable face coating roll 28 on the movable frame 3|. Here .the mechanism comprises the eccentric-bearing plate 60 pivoted to the frame 3| at a suitable point, which here coincides with the shaft 43, and carrying the eccentric 62 in a circular opening at its free end. The eccentric is eccentrically mounted beneath a head or end flange 68 on a shaft 63 rotatably mounted in the frame 34. A gear 61 is splined to the shaft so as to. have some longitudinal movement thereon by a feather pin 61a. extending through a hole in the shaft and into slots in the bore of the gear. Adjustment is made by a pinion 65 on a shaft 66 mounted in the frame 34 and turned by the hand knob 64. The

gear is locked in-adjusted position by a nut 69 on the front end of the shaft 63.

The horizontal rolls are all positively driven in unison as by a sprocket chain 10 passing over sprockets 24a, 25a, 26a, 28a, and 35a of the respective rolls 24, 25, 26, 28, and 35 and a .power sprocket chain 1| driven from a power shaft 12 passing over a sprocket 28b of the lower roll 28 and a sprocket 33a of the roll 33. The sprocket chain 10 passes over an idler take-up sprocket 13 carried on a spring biased arm 14 pivoted at 15. This permits roll adjustment without disturbing the drive of the rolls. The disposition of the sprocket 33a relative to the sprocket chain 1| permits of the small adjustment necessary for roll 33 while maintaining the drive.

The edge coating rolls 21 are so formed and disposed that they need not be positively driven but are turned by the strip in passing and do not require applicator rolls but themselves dispense the coating material directly from the source to the strips.

The rolls 21 are mounted upon a side roll frame 18 secured to a vertical plate 19 of the main frame. The inner roll assembly is swingably mounted on a depending stud carried by the frame 18, the roll assembly being held up by a spring 8| engaging an annular groove 82 in the stud. This arrangement permits very quick removal and replacement of the roll assembly, it being only necessary to pull the spring out of the groove and slide the assembly off.

The other roll 21 is mounted in a similar fashion by a spring 8Ia. engaging the annular groove 82a of a depending stud 80a. The stud 80a is adjustable, being mounted upon a slide block 83 carried by two horizontal guide and support studs 84 secured to the side roll frame 18 and adjusted by a threaded screw 85 provided with a hand piece 86. The shaft 85 is threaded in the block 83 and is rotatablymounted in the frame 18. Collars 81 prevent endwise movement of the screw 85.

The side roll assemblies are alike except paired. Each comprises a support slidably mounted on the vertical stud 80 Or 80a as just described and including a cup 9| in which the roll 21 is rotatably mounted on an upstanding stud 92 threaded in a nut 93 fitting tightly in the bottom of the cup and secured by a set screw 94.

The cup is provided with a side opening 95 having adjustable wiper inserts 96 shaped to fit the longitudinal contour of the roll to retain the coating material except such as is carried out by the roll past the wipers. The rolls shown are straight sided for straight edged strips (or for curved strips if quite thin) so the wipers are straight. For convex edged slats concave rolls and convex wipers would be usedand so on for other shapes of edges.

The rolls 21 are grooved vertically or knurled to assist in holding the coating material evenly thereon. They press against the strips and deposit the layer of coating material on its edges. A brush 91 disposed immediately forward of the roll brushes the material on evenly. The brushes are adjustable for depth as by slots 98 and a set screw 99.

Coating material is supplied to the cups 9| by flexible or easily bendable tubes I03 from a reservoir I04 on the top of the main frame. A tube I05 supplies the upper horizontal applicator roll 35. Each tube is provided with a hand cut-01f cock I06. The lower horizontal applicator roll 33 is supplied from a pan I01 which also catches the drip from the side rolls. There may be a small leakage around the side rolls 21 but this will not matter because only the peripheries of the rolls springs III secured to adjustable collars H2 atthrough the machine. The feed rolls permit the strip to take up any lateral position but the side tached to the depending studs 80, 80a. The inward movement of the rolls is limited by stud screws I I3 secured in adjustable collars I It on the studs 80, 80a. This arrangement prevents the rolls from jumping and skipping a space when the end of a strip is fed in, yet holds against" the edges strongly enough to turn the rolls and coat properly, The spring is kept from unwinding when the roll assembly is removed by a pin I I5 in the collar I14.

The feeding mechanism 22 for advancing strips intermittently from the bottom of the stack to coating rolls acts under spring pressure to keep the strips in the line determined by the standards, though their springs permit these rolls. to move sufficiently to accommodate any necessary variations.

1 The standards I5I are set in the ends of blocks I5Ia secured upon pins I5Ib passing through a the rear feed rolls when the treadle 23 is depressed by the operator grips the strips with a predetermined pressure which is independent of the pressure on the treadle. Also, if the strip meets with an obstruction to its progress as, for example, the rear end of a preceding strip, it will not be injured.

This feeding mechanism comprises gripping jaws II! and H8, the first of which is disposed (in gripping position) with its gripping face on the line along which the rear edges of the strips travel through the machine and the second of which is adjustable to take diiferent widths of strips. The first is pivoted to a forward slide H9 and the second is secured to one of the long links I of a toggle mechanism by a bolt I2I adjustable in a slot I22 of the jaw. The front ends of the long toggle links I20 are pivoted at I23 to the front slide I I9 and the rear ends of the short links I24 of the toggle are pivoted to a rear slide I25 at I26. The links are pivoted together at I21. The pivot of the relatively fixed jaw II? on the front slide I I9 is at I28 and the jaw is provided with a slot I29 for a pin I3Ii of one of the long links I20, whereby it is moved slightly away from the strip edge when retracted for return movement and is moved into line and in parallel when gripping a strip.

Means are provided for readily adapting the feed to strips of different thickness. As here shown, the jaw II l'is provided with upwardly projecting dowels Illa and a stud IIIb whereby an additional jaw laminae II'Ic may be secured thereto for greater gripping depth for thicker strips. The adjustable jaw H8 may'readily be exchanged for a thicker one for thicker material.

A push rod I34 is secured to the front slide I I9 as by .a nut I3da and passes through guide openings in the rear slide I 25 and in a fixed rear abutment I35. The push rod is constantly urged rearwardly against the action of the operator by a relatively strong spring I36 secured to adjustable collar I3'I on the push rod and to a suitable fixed stop I36a. The linkage from the streadle to the rod includes the oscillating shaft I38, lever I39, connecting rod I40, bell crank lever MI pivoted at I 32 to the main frame, and thelink Hi3 connected to the collar I3la adjustably secured on the rod I3 3.

The rear toggle slide I25 is urged rearward relative to the push rod I3 i by a relatively light spring M6 acting between the front of the slide and the rear of an adjustable collar I51 on the push rod.

This construction provides that the strips will be engaged with a uniform force regardless of the foot pressure on the treadle thus avoiding injury to the strips. By adjusting the collar I l'l along the push rod the effective force of the spring may be varied.

The stack of strips is held by a line of fixed standards I and a line of adjustable standards I5I. The fixed standards determine the line along which one edge of the strips travels ilange of the table and locked in adjusted positions by nuts I5Ic. by a swinging movement of the blocks and quick release and refastening.

The upper strips are held against forward movement by a shutter I55 adjustably held on posts I53 by set screws I51.

When the operator presses the treadle the push rod I34 moves forward against the strong spring I36, carrying with it the front slide H9. The rear slide I25 remains in engagement with the abutment I35 by reason of the action of the clamping spring I46 until the jaws engage the side edges of the bottom strip of the stack. Thereafter the whole assembly together with the engaged strip moves forward until the forward end of the strip is taken by the rear feed rolls. If the strip is fed faster than the feed rolls can take it or if it strikes the rear end of the preceding strip, the jaws simply slide along the strip; but they will not injure it because of the light pressure of the spring. As soon as the strip has been engaged by the feel rolls the operator releases the treadle and when the rear slide strikes the abutment the jaws are positively pressed outward by the action of the front slide and links to release the strip.

When a strip is fed forward by the rear feed rolls it arrives first at thecleaning rolls 25 which sweep the dust backward into a hood E52.

As the strip, passing from the front feed rolls 2E, reaches the edge coating rolls 27 they spring open from their stops H3 to receive it. The rolls 27 apply the coating material and the brushes 91 smooth it on. I

From the edge coating rolls the strip passes to the face coating rolls 28 where the faces are coated in an obvious manner. It is guided out and removed by an operator.

The setting of the applicator rolls 33 and 35 relative to their companion coating rolls 28 determines the thickness of the face coatings. It has already been seen how the applicator rolls are adjusted without disturbing the setting of the coating rolls, and vice versa.

The independent shaft bearings 25b of the brushes 25 may be quickly and accurately set in diiferent adjusted positions to compensate for brush wear by loosening the set screws which hold them and inserting one or more shims of predetermined thickness.

The bearings of all of the horizontal rolls may be quickly and inexpensively formed by placing brushings of suitable material at properplaces on the shafts, aligning the shafts ac- This provides adjustment 4 aaaaoao it is held by a latch I61. An overflow opening I66 determines the height at which coating material will stand during operation. To remove the pan it is only necessary to slide it endwise oil the studs I60 and I62. A vessel I may be provided for catching all the-overflow material. At periods this may be emptied into the supply tank on the top of the machine.

End wipers "I are provided for the upper coating roll 28, the wipers being adjustably mounted on a fixed stud I12. They intercept excess coating material near the ends of the roll and cause it to drip down on the sides clear of the strip. The lower roll does not need this. If there is any drip from its ends it will fall directly into the drip pan.

It is thus seen that the invention provides an improved coating machine which operates rapidly and effectively; and which may be quickly adjusted for different widths, profiles, or thicknesses of strips without disturbing the coating thickness or the relationship between the coating means and the feeding and cleaning m ans. If desired, the shutter may also be carried on the adjustable frame to take care of the retention of the upper strips when adjusting for strips of different thickness. It also provides for accurate independent adjustment for thickness of coating material, and for the setting of the cleaning rolls. The side coating rolls are mounted below their supports and are very readily adjusted 'or removed. The horizontal roll bearing mountings are such as to be easily placed even in out of true castings and avoid delays for replacing worn out bearings. The feed-in mechanism is of an improved, simple and effective design which is readily adjusted for strips of different thickness, width or profile. Also the drip pan is readily shiftable for cleaning the rolls or removable for changing colors or shutting down.

While one embodiment of the invention has been specifically illustrated and described to give a clear conception of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention may have various embodiments within the limits of its novelty.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for coating elongated strips, comprising in combination, a pair of feed rolls, a pair of cleaning rolls, a second pair of feed rolls and a pair' of coating rolls arranged in the order named, a fixed frame carrying one roll of each pair, a movable frame carrying the other roll of each pair, and means for adjusting said movable frame with all of its rolls relative to the fixed frame.

2. Apparatus for coating elongated strips, comprising in combination, a pair of feed rolls, a pair of coating rolls, a fixed frame carrying one roll of each pair,. a movable frame carrying the other roll of each pair, and means for adjusting said movable frame with all of its rolls relative to the fixed frame.

3. Apparatus for coating elongated strips, comprising in combination, a pair of feed rolls, a pair roll of each pair, said movable frame being mounted in. guides to keep it parallel with the fixed frame, and means for adjusting said movable frame with all of its rolls relative to the fixed frame, said adjusting means including a shaft provided with off-center elements at each end cooperating with the ends of the frame, supporting means for said shaft at each end, and means for rotating said shaft.

4. Apparatus for coating elongated strips, comprising in combination, a pair of horizontal coating rolls, a pair of feed rolls, a pair of vertical coating rolls between the feed rolls and the horizontal coating rolls, one of said horizontal coating rolls being mounted on a fixed support and the other horizontal coating roll being mounted on an adjustable support, swingable means mounted on spaced supports carrying said vertical coating rolls, resilient means urging said swingable roll-carrying means in work engaging direction, and stops for limiting the inward movement of said roll-carrying means.

5. Apparatus for coating elongated strips, comprising in combination, a pair of feed rolls, a

pair of coating rolls, a fixed frame carrying one roll of each pair, and a movable frame carrying the other roll of each pair, an applicator roll adjustable relative to the fixed coating roll, and an applicator roll normally carried with the movable coating roll but adjustable relative thereto.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 in which the applicator rolls are also provided with mounting frames, and in which common guide rods are provided for mounting all of said frames.

7. Apparatus for coating elongated strips, comprising in combination, a vertical coating roll for feeding and applying coating material, a casing mounting said roll including acup-like chamber for coating material about the roll and an opening on. the side to expose the outer portion of the roll, and adjustable wipers in the opening on the sides of the roll.

8. Apparatus as set forth in 'claim 7 which further includes a horizontally adjustable vertical brush for smoothing the coating material applied by said roll.

9. Apparatus for coating strips, comprising in combination, a coating roll, an applicator roll therefor, a drip pan for holding coating material in which said applicator roll runs, the pan being provided with an outlet for limiting the level in normal position, a pivot stud supporting one end of the pan, a stud carried by a swingable arm supporting the other end of the pan, 9. stop for limiting the downward movement of the arm,

a latch for holding the arm and pan in upper position for normal operation, and connections between said pan and studs permitting it to be readilyslipped on and off endwise of the studs.

10. Apparatus for coating elongated strips, comprising in combination, two parallel frames movable relative to each other and each adapted to support a plurality of horizontal parallel coating and feed rolls, a plurality of roll shafts mounting said rolls, bearing bushings on said shafts, said frames having oversize bearing openings for said bushings, poured metal mountings for said bushings in said openings, and applicator rolls adjustable relative to each of said coating rolls independently of the relative movement between said rolls.

CARL SCHLEICHER. 

